Predator and Prey
by TwistedTale
Summary: Sometimes the line between predator and prey is blurred. Took the Bronze in the Hogwarts Olympics for BMX Biking.


Summary: The first time the marauders met Moony.

An: This is for the BMX Cycling event for the Hogwarts Olympic games! I hope y'all enjoy!

Predator and Prey

* * *

For the first time in a very long while Remus Lupin was well and truly afraid. The gentle feel of Madam Pomfrey's hand against his back drove that fear to almost critical levels and every instinct he had told him to turn and bite. He had just turned his head to sink his teeth into the offending appendage when human logic took over. _She hasn't done anything but touch me. _It didn't soothe the primal howling that roared in his head, but it did remind him that he wasn't an animal. Not yet. Therefore he had to be on his best behavior.

"Are you alright Mr. Lupin?" The gentle inquiry forced him to look up into her eyes and he fought the urge to growl when her gaze did not divert from his. Was she challenging him?

"I'm alright, but we need to hurry," he said tensely. The nurse nodded and, thankfully, returned her attention to the thrashing tree in front of them. She cast a quick spell that made the hair on the back of his neck rise and the tree froze.

"After you."

He nodded and entered the tunnel. The scent of earth was all around- mud, the sweet stench of rotting vegetation, all things wriggling and alive... He could hear the gentle scuffling of a mole digging through the earth, the sound of a serpent sliding, fox kits whimpering…

His eyes had already adjusted to the dark so he had no problem navigating the tunnel, but the nurse was having a bit more trouble. He could hear her stumble despite the wand light that illuminated her way and the fait scent of blood reached his nose making him tense.

"I smell blood."

"Keep moving Mr. Lupin."

He did.

Before long they had reached his prison. He stepped inside the room and waited until he heard the sound of the door closing and locking before turning around. Madam Pomfrey was staring intently at him through a small window in the door.

"I put all the wards in place like you asked this morning, they are holding firm. Nothing and no one can enter here until morning, although I do not know why you think you need them in the first place."

Remus didn't bother answering and instead let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I will see you in the morning." With that she closed the little window, leaving Remus completely alone. He started his usual full moon routine, slowly stripping and stacking his things into an enchanted wardrobe before carefully setting his wand on the top of the pile. He wouldn't be able to destroy anything inside the wardrobe as long as the door was closed. Content for the moment he sat and waited, staring out of the single barred window. The moon was almost at its peak and he was effectively trapped. The change started not a moment later, his skin rippled, his bones rearranged, his blood boiled- and all through it he screamed and screamed. _Almost there- almost-_

There was a scratching at the door. Remus turned his warped face slowly to it, his half transformed ears twitching weakly at the sound of voices on the other side, voices he knew.

"…a ward, can we break it?"

James.

"We can try at least; we have come too far to go back now."

Sirius.

"J-just tell me what I n-need to do."

Peter.

"No!" Remus half howled, half shouted, scooting back as fast as his transforming body would allow, only stopping when the bare bones of his spine hit the wall. He had tried to stop them from this fool mission; he swore he wouldn't let them see the monster he was.

"Spells on three then?" Sirius whispered.

"On three." James affirmed.

"On three." Peter agreed.

Remus, past words, howled mournfully for a moment before the animal took over and sang a hunting song. Blood. He could smell it, fresh, human, pumping through live flesh. Hunger rose inside him and he rushed the door, snarling.

_BANG! _

He got a mouth full of splinters and a loosened tooth for his trouble. He backed away quickly, spitting blood and wood and letting his rage build. He was tired of his own blood, he was tired of being locked away, he wanted the meat on the other side of the door, and he meant to have it. He rushed the door again, connected, broke off, and rushed at it again.

"What was that?"

"I think it was Remus."

"What if he gets through?"

The wolf snarled in return and tore at a plank that had come loose, he could smell fear from beyond it, and it was delicious.

"He's almost through!" Someone squeaked.

"Transform, now!" The scents changed and the wolf whined in confusion, ears flopping back against his head as he backed away from the door.

Smells were not supposed to change that way- they just _didn't_. What _were_ the things beyond the door? He dropped the plank he had been holding and bore his teeth, to his shame his tail tucked in-between his legs and he growled as both a warning to whatever it was beyond the door, and as a reprimand to himself.

The door slowly opened and a snout that looked very much like his own poked through the opening. His tail slowly straightened. Something like himself he could deal with. His ears went forward and his tail rose like a banner as the thing revealed itself.

He was small compared to the werewolf and black where he was silvery grey. Thanks to his almost human eyes he could still see color and the dog's eyes were blue, the first bit of actual color he had seen in years. He stared, and the blue eyes stared back. The wolf bore his teeth, the dog didn't move. The wolf walked forward, stiff legged, tail up. The dog's ears went back and a small rumbling growl/whine made its way up the canines' throat. The wolf relaxed. The move was submissive; this was a friend who knew his place.

He leaned forward and let his nose touch the side of the dog's muzzle and he almost shuddered in joy at the contact. He had been alone so long he craved touch. Be it friendly or food. If he couldn't have human blood, he would have a companion… one who could show him out of his prison. If this dog could get in, then he could get them both out into the forest. The wolf sniffed the dog all over, familiarizing himself with the others scent and although the dog seemed strangely apprehensive about letting him sniff under his tail, he didn't stop him.

The werewolf faced the dog and wagged his tail and the dog wagged his in return. Friends.

All was well until the dog turned his head toward the door and let out a loud yap. The wolf's ears went back for a moment before a large stag carefully stepped into the shack and he blinked in surprise. The dog had brought dinner? He turned and gave a wolfish grin to the dog who wagged his tail harder. He had good taste in friends.

Together they could take it down; the bond between them would be bound in the blood throbbing in the stag's veins. He prowled toward the strangely tame deer who watched him with no fear. In fact the stag seemed rather calm in the face of a predator. He growled low in his throat to check how it would respond and it lowered its head in return. Its antlers were numerous and sharp. It would be a glorious fight, and it _would _be a fight too.

He took a step back, the stag relaxed, and when he did the wolf rushed the stag snarling for his new companion to do the same. He scored a hit on the thick column of muscle that made up the creatures throat and let his teeth sink in. The creature squealed and reared, slashing at the wolf's body with its forelegs and the wolf flinched as he was knocked around like a cheap piñata. He snarled when a lucky strike knocked him loose. He crouched low and stared up at the hooves that slashed at the air above his head. The stag's belly was exposed and he lunged for it, teeth digging into the delicate flesh. The attack didn't last long, one of the stag's hind hooves smashed into his skull.

He yelped in pain and was pushed back into the range of the antlers that, with a swish of the deer's mighty head, caught him in the side and sent him flying. There was blood, his own, pouring from tiny puncture wounds the attack had caused and he coughed up a tooth from his impact with the wall. This was a worthy opponent. The wolf tensed, ready to charge again, the stag lowered his antlers and bellowed a challenge. The wolf started his sprint but his new friend intercepted his attack. The dog snarled and bit the wolf's muzzle, drawing blood. The wolf backed away in shock.

What was wrong?

The dog barked loudly at him, his tone almost scolding as he yapped before turning to the deer and barking loudly again. The stag snorted and stamped in a very 'He started it' kind of way. The werewolf simply growled in confusion. Some part of his mind, the human part, was scolding him too. They were _both _friends.

Friends? The wolf thought in disgust. The dog he would accept but being friends with _prey_?

_Yes, he is one of our dear friends, he cares for us or else he wouldn't be here. _The human said rather loudly. The creature eyed the stag warily and the stag eyed him back. The dog whined in-between them. _I don't want them to hate me. To hate us. _The human's guilt became the wolf's and he felt the sudden urge to apologize.

Against every instinct he had he lowered himself to the ground and whined making both of the other animals blink in surprise. The dog warily inched toward him, tense and ready but when no move was made against him the dog relaxed and lapped at the wolf's sore muzzle. After a moment the dog turned and barked at the stag and the stag warily approached, nostrils flared. The wolf didn't move and although every drive he had told him to go for the throat- again- he held still and let the stag press his muzzle against his forehead. Something inside the werewolf was soothed at the feel of the hot breath on his fur; he was soothed again at the feel of the body of the dog as he lay next to him.

He was distracted from his unfamiliar comfort by a happy squeak from a fat rat at the doorway and the three animals stared at the tiny rodent in surprise. The rat squeaked again and ran back out. The dog stood and his tail started wagging madly as he charged out after it. The canine only paused at the doorway to bark at the two of them before rushing out into the tunnel. The stag slowly lifted his head to look out at the tunnel then back to the wolf then back out to the tunnel again.

Outside? He could hardly believe it. He rose and warily followed after the black stag.

It was like being reborn he thought as walked through the dark womb of the earth before stepping out onto the silver lit grounds. He froze, not quite sure what to do when the saw the dog and stag waiting for him, the rat from before clinging to his antlers. The dog whined eagerly, the stag pranced, and he understood what they wanted. He ran, he ran for the woods, and his friends ran beside him, predator and prey together and the wolf found that he didn't mind it one bit.


End file.
